ASTRO 2022 early-bird registration closes July 28
Don’t delay, register today! Join your colleagues for the 64th ASTRO Annual Meeting October 23-26 in San Antonio and lock in the best rates by July 28 with early-bird registration. New for this year, the comprehensive registration packages for in-person and live virtual meeting attendees include the onDemand meeting, all the Live SA-CME sessions and the Practical Radiation Oncology (PRO) Program at no extra charge. Register for ASTRO 2022 by tomorrow to get the best rate and to have the best selection of housing options. We look forward to seeing you in San Antonio!

New podcast on Radiation Therapy for Brain Metastases: An ASTRO Clinical Practice Guideline
Practical Radiation Oncology deputy editor James B. Yu, MD, of Columbia University Irvine Center hosts a conversation on the recent ASTRO clinical practice guideline on radiation therapy for brain metastases. Eric Chang, MD, FASTRO, of the Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California and Veronica Chiang, MD, of Yale University School of Medicine are joined by two of the guideline authors, Jona A. Hattangadi‐Gluth, MD, of University of California San Diego and Vinai Gondi, MD, of Northwestern Medicine Proton Center to discuss the recommendations in the four key areas, the development process of the guideline and the evidence for the recommendations included. Listen to this podcast and others on the PRO website.

2022 ASTRO Health Policy Fellowship accepting applications
Interested in learning more about health policy? ASTRO is accepting applications for the 2022 Health Policy Fellowship through September 2. This fellowship is designed to provide exposure to ASTRO’s health policy reimbursement and coding activities and to develop the next generation of ASTRO health policy leaders. Health Policy Fellows will gain experience and knowledge in radiation oncology code development and valuation, coding guidance, payer engagement and payment reform activities. ASTRO members who are board-certified radiation oncologists or medical physicists with at least five years of clinical experience are encouraged to apply.

Call for volunteers open for new ASTRO Early Career committee
The ASTRO Board of Directors recently approved the creation of an ASTRO Early Career Committee. This committee will identify and work to develop resources targeted to support the unique needs of this membership cohort and create a space for peer mentorship and networking. ASTRO is looking for Early Career practitioners. We are in need specifically of a few private practice/community-based radiation oncologists and physicists to volunteer to serve on this committee. Early Career is defined as eight years post training. Visit the Call for Committee Volunteers online to complete the application by August 18.

Register for the ASTRO “ROCKS” web session: Navigating Industry Investigator-Initiated Trials
The next Research-Oriented Career Knowledge and Support (ROCKS) web session is tomorrow, July 28 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time. This free web session will discuss investigator-initiated clinical trials in radiation oncology, from concept development to submission and review, to contract and implementation, with a focus on industry-sponsored trials. There will be brief presentations from each panelist followed by a moderated Q&A. This session is open to all but particularly relevant to academic radiation oncologists with a clinical research focus, as well as medical residents. View more details and register via the ASTRO Academy. For questions, or to pre-submit questions for the panelists, please email the Science Department. You can also view recordings of prior ROCKS sessions in the ASTRO Academy.

ASTRO asks Congress for relief from MPFS cuts in 2023
Following the release of the 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS), ASTRO and 21 medical specialty organizations sent a letter to leaders in the House and Senate urging action to protect patients’ access to care and to avoid burden to providers triggered by unnecessary payment cuts. The organizations detail cuts due to clinical labor updates, the conversion factor and others stemming from budget neutrality constraints that will act as another hit to radiation oncology and other specialties without congressional action. For more, see What’s Happening in Washington.

ASTRO continues to push Congress to provide physician student loan debt relief
ASTRO and 31 medical and dental specialty organizations sent a letter to congressional leadership urging action to address high student loan debt levels among physicians. The bipartisan Resident Education Deferred Interest Act would allow borrowers to qualify for interest-free deferment on student loans while serving in a medical or dental internship or residency program. Send a message asking your representative or senator to cosponsor this legislation by visiting astro.org/advocate.

Congratulations to the following newly APEx-accredited facilities
Congratulations to Albany Stratton VA Medical Center in Albany, New York, for recently achieving accreditation and Lankenau Medical Center in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, and Memorial Hospital of South Bend Radiation Oncology Center in South Bend, Indiana, for each recently achieving re-accreditation through ASTRO’s APEx - Accreditation Program for Excellence^®. The APEx process provides a transparent, measurable, evidence- and consensus-based review of compliance with standards that emphasize a radiation oncology practice’s commitment to safety and quality. View a list of accredited facilities and contact ASTRO staff to learn about the new options for accreditation and why APEx is The Right Choice™ to accredit your radiation oncology practice.